Brush or mop holder.



PATENTED FEB; 5, 1907.

E. E. MASTERS.

BRUSH 0R MOP HOLDER.

.APPLIOATION FILED 161113.15, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EGBERT E. MASTERS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JENNIE WILLIAMS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

BRUSH OR MOP HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EGBERT E. MASTERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at C- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brush or Mop Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a brush or mop holder, and has for its object the provision of a device of this character comprising a handle having means for firmly grasping a scrubbrush, mop, or sponge.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of improved means for grasping a brush, mop, or sponge, said means being of such construction that the article grasped may be readily released when desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure .1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating a brush held between the gripping-jaws thereof. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section upon line x 00 of Fig, 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a cloth held between the gripping-jaws instead of a brush. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken upon line 1 'y of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken upon line a a of Fig. 3.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a handle which may be of any desired length. Secured upon each side of one end of the handle 5 by bolts 5 are plates 6, having outwardly-bowed downturned arms 7, to the lower ends of which is secured a transverse strip 8, said strip forming one of the gripping members. The lower edges of the plates 6 are provided with inturned 'flanges 9. (See Figs. 3 and 5.) These flanges form a support and a guide for a slotted plate 10. This plate is bifurcated to form arms 11, the lower ends of which are secured to a transverse strip 12, which strip forms the second gripping member. Secured to the opposite end of the plate is a fingerpiece 13. The end of the plate 10 to which this finger-plate is secured is adapted to engage with a stepped spring-plate 14, one end of which is secured by a screw in a recess 16 of the handle 5. Located partly in this recess is a coiled spring17, which bears between the bottom of the recess and the face of the stepped springlate. A screw 18 passes through the handl e 5 and through the slotted plate 10 and is provided with a thumb-nut 19, which serves to firmly bind the plate 10 in its adjusted position. In Figs. 1, 2, and?) I have illustrated a scrubbrush secured within the gripping-jaws of the device, the transverse strips 8 and 12 engag ing opposite sides of the rib 20, which forms the handle of the brush 21. In Fig. 4 a cloth forming a mop is illustrated secured 'between the strips'8 and 12.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to release the articles held between the strips 8 and 12, the outer end of the spring-plate 14 is pressed inwardly until it lies within the recess 16 of the handle. 5. This frees the plate 10 and permits it to be drawn inwardly after the thumb-nut 19 has been loosened. This inward movement of the plate 10 of course withdraws the strip 11 from its engagement with the article which has been held by the strips 8 and 12 and permits said article to be removed therefrom. When it is desired to secure a brush, sponge, or mop between the gripping members, the device to be gripped is placed be tween the strips 8 and 12, and the operator by placing his thumb against the fingerpiece 13 presses the plate 10 forward to cause the strip 12 to grip the article between itself and the strip 8. As the plate 10 moves forward the stepped spring-plate acts as a ratchet to prevent retrograde movement of the plate 10. The article to be gripped is thereby held while the operator tightens the thumb-nut 19.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a device has been produced adapted to grasp articles of varying shapes. Sponges or cloths may be grasped as readily as mops or brushes. If desired, the thumbscrew 18 and thumb-nut 19 may be omitted, for the ratchet formed by the stepped plate 14 and plate 10 is ofsufiicient strength to hold the gripping-jaws in position under all ordinary strain? While the elements shown and described are well'adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be underl l l i l combination with a handle, of a fixed gripi ping member secured to said handle, flanges carried by said fixed gripping member which project beneath the handle and form ways, a movable gripping member slidably disposed in said ways, a downturned member carried by the rear end of the movable gripping member and forming athumb-piece, and a stepped spring-plate secured to the handle with which the rear edge of the movable gripping member is adapted to engage.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 2 in presence of two witnesses.

EGBERT E. MASTERS.

Witnesses C. C. SHEPHERD, EVA KIRSTY. 

